Photo: Tiksa Negeri/Reuters Media Express
Demonstrators chant slogans while flashing the Oromo protest gesture during Irreecha, the thanksgiving festival of the Oromo people, in Bishoftu town (file photo). The new cabinet has several Oromo members, and it is being seen as a response to the protests
By Sebastian
Satigui
Addis Ababa — Prime Minister
Hailemariam Desalegn appeared today before parliament in Addis Ababa to present
his newly restructured administration.
A large number of the new ministers
are making their first entry in government, and have no direct party affiliation.
They are viewed as technocrats chosen exclusively on the basis of their
competence called to serve the nation and not the interest of the governing
coalition, EPRDF. It is worth noting that no less than 8 Oromos have joined the
new cabinet.
The Oromo region has been the center
of the protests that have elevated the tensions around the country. Among top
party officials leaving the government are Dr. Tedros Advance, minister of
foreign affairs, who is the continent's candidate to head the World health
organization, Redman Hussein, minister of youth and sports, and Getachew Reda,
minister of government communications.
Many in Addis Ababa view the
significant cabinet reshuffle as a response to the current and unprecedented
crisis that led to the declaration of a nationwide state of emergency on
October 8, 2016. In a sign of detente, some 2,000 Ethiopians arrested as part
of the State of emergency were released yesterday.
Upcoming weeks will be crucial in
establishing whether or not the reshuffle has helped ease the situation in
Oromo and Amara regions
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